Panel clears federal appeals court judge in ethics case over death-penalty speech
A federal appeals court judge did not violate legal ethics rules during remarks she made about the death penalty during a speech at the University of Pennsylvania law school in 2013, an ethics panel has determined.
In its Thursday opinion, the Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability of the Judicial Conference of the United States noted that the speech by Judge Edith Jones was not recorded. It said recollections by the judge and attendees differed about exactly what was said by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals jurist, according to the Houston Chronicle and the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
An earlier review by the Judicial Council of the District of Columbia Circuit reached the same conclusion, but an additional review was launched after a group of petitioners complained that allegations of racism in Jones’ remarks had not been adequately addressed, reports Texas Lawyer (sub. req.)
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “5th Circuit judge explains remarks on race and crime; ethics complaint is tossed”
